Warmth
by TheONEwhoWritesStuff
Summary: The relationship between Arendelle and the Southern Isles is shattered. King Artemis, desperate to try and repair the damage, sends his second youngest brother, Cedric, to engage in the Courting Ceremonies being held for Elsa to ensure both kingdoms' prosperity. Meanwhile, a dark, hideous plot is being unveiled and perhaps Hans is more innocent than originally thought...
1. Chapter 1

**W-A-R-M-T-H**

* * *

"Unacceptable!"

"But I—"

"Inexcusable!"

"Brother—"

"No. This is serious, Hans. What were you thinking? Do you realize the consequences of your actions?"

King Artemis of the Southern Isles, Hans' oldest brother, sat at the far end of the dining table, giving Hans a disappointed look. Hans stood before the royal dining table in tattered old clothing, sporting a swollen, black eye where princess Anna of Arendelle had punched him, and wearing chains on his wrists and ankles. He had travelled directly from Arendelle straight to the Southern Isles to face his punishment. Word had spread to the king before he had arrived to dock, which gave enough time for Artemis to vent his anger on inanimate objects and curse angrily in the seclusion of his room. Now, Artemis was relatively calm; however, the rest of his brothers presently in the room were not.

All of the brothers currently living in the Southern Isles were gathered around the long, rectangular dining table. A large, clear chandelier swung above all of their heads, fastened to a high, blue ceiling. Glass stained windows surrounded the spacious room, glinting different colors in the bright sunlight. Servants and royal guards stood amongst the wall silently, watching the dispute go on.

Wyndell and Gregory had all but blown a gasket. Both had risen from their seats when Artemis relayed the news of Hans' treason to them, and had started yelling themselves hoarse, absolutely enraged that he had done such a horrendous act. Brom hadn't said anything, but his glare spoke louder than his words and threatened the youngest brother just as well. Kippler and Fredrick, his twin brothers, had tried joking around at first to lessen the tension, but stopped their imitations of a mother and father scolding their disobedient children to Hans when Artemis had given them a warning look. And of course, Cedric sat in the corner of the room not saying a word. His face held sadness and confusion, but he did not join in the pandemonium.

"Why would you do such a thing?"

"Our alliance with Arendelle was important, Hans! The ties between us are loose enough as it is! How will the new Queen ever begin to trust our kingdom after this incident?"

Hans closed his eyes, tired of their yelling, tired of all the accusations. Truthfully, this was the first in a very long time he and his brothers had been able to converse. Well, kind of, since they were doing a lot more of the talking. Artemis was always busy with paperwork and maintaining his kingdom. Wyndell was in charge of taxes and spent most of his time locked away in his office. Brom rarely talked with anyone to begin with and spent most of his time at the military barracks training soldiers and planning for possible attacks on the kingdom. The twins came as a pair, never leaving the other's side, and busied themselves with architectural building plans. His other brothers were scattered throughout the world, visiting and living in other countries or exploring uncharted lands.

Cedric, his older brother by only two years, was a mystery; no one truly knew what he spent doing with his time other than basic record keeping. He locked himself in his office away from the rest of the world, isolated and protected by a wooden door. Even when the brothers had been younger and closer to one another, Cedric had been estranged. And Hans had been left alone, much to his disappointment. As prince, he was assigned different duties just like his older brothers, but they were all far less illustrious. Arendelle had been the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to prove to Artemis that he was worth more than letter opening or a messenger boy.

Of course, nothing ever works out as planned.

"The relationship between our kingdoms is ruined because of you!"

"Hans, are you even listening?!"

Hans snapped. "Damn it all, what do you want me to say?! I made a mistake!" He shouted.

Brom snorted. "Hmph. Spilling wine on the Queen's dress? Now that's a mistake. Pretending to love her sister, leaving her sister for dead, tricking the Queen, and eventually trying to chop the Queen's head off? A pretty big mistake if you ask me," he criticized, shaking his head.

Hans winced. "I-I know. I just—I wanted—"

"To rule? To take over?" Artemis inquired.

"I-well," Hans started. "Yes. I did want to rule Arendelle."

Kippler laughed. "Why the hell would you ever want to rule a kingdom?"

"Yeah," Fredrick chimed in. "Have you seen all of Artemis' gray hairs? A ton of them definitely aren't because of his age, you know. Even though he is getting up there in his numbers," he snickered.

Artemis glared briefly over in the twins' directions before settling back on Hans. He sighed. "There's more to ruling than you'd think, brother. Trust me, the throne is not worth all of its vexations."

Hans shifted, the chains on his feet clinking together. "A little late to tell me that yourself, don't you think?" He lifted the chains on his wrist for emphasis.

Wyndell glared at his brother. "That's not the real problem and you know it. You committed a crime, Hans. A very much punishable crime. Treason. What say you to that?"

Hans' eyes narrowed. "My only regret is that I did not succeed in killing the Queen."

Outrage immediately broke out. Wyndell leapt to his feet, ready to charge at his brother. Gregory had begun shouting out curses. Brom had moved from his corner to keep Wyndell from attacking Hans. The twins, no longer wearing jolly faces, both gave looks of scorn towards their younger brother while Artemis sat stiffly in his high chair with a tight-lipped frown.

"Consider it a blessing that you failed."

All heads turned towards the owner of the voice. Cedric glanced at his surrounding brothers before looking back at Hans.

A shadow had fallen over Hans' face. "Come again?" He asked threateningly, his hands balled up into fists.

Cedric seemed nonplussed. "Be thankful that you hadn't succeeded. Because if you had," he looked away from his brother to look out a window, "you'd be dead." He said no more, simply watching the birds fly by outside, their figures distorted through the stained glass.

Hans opened his mouth as if to deny the claim, but quickly shut his mouth when he glanced at his oldest brother's expression.

"What's done is done," Artemis declared. "Our relationship between Arendelle is tarnished, if it wasn't already to begin with. I've already been sent a letter from Queen Elsa stating that she wants absolutely nothing to do with our kingdom anymore."

Brom scratched at his goatee. "Is there any way to remedy this?"

Artemis' brows furrowed. "Not easily," he said slowly. "But, first things first." He glared at Hans. "Your punishment."

Hans shuffled again, the haughty front he had tried to keep up slowly falling into a stance of uncertainty.

"I-I will not…executed, will I?" He asked, nervously shifting his gaze from the hard-polished wood floor into his brother's grey eyes.

"You should," Gregory mumbled.

This time, Artemis' fury wasn't directed at his youngest brother. "Do you really think I would kill my own brother, _brother_?" He snapped, satisfied when he saw Gregory wince slightly. "Do you honestly think that death will teach him a lesson? That we must always fight our battles through violence, with violence? No." He looked across the room at every one of his brothers. "That is not how I rule. I am proud to say, I am not our father." At this, everyone flinched. "And as such, I have raised you all in the same way. We are not our father. Which is why I," he said, pointing at Hans, "am extremely disappointed in you. This is something I would have expected from him, not from you. I am ashamed of your actions."

Hans sent his brother a guilty look before shamefully shifting his gaze out the window.

"And your verdict?" He whispered softly. "What is to be my punishment then?"

Artemis felt a twinge in his gut. By the time Hans had been born, Artemis had led three battles in the name of their father. He remembered Hans back then, a sweet, chubby boy with bright, green, curious eyes and an obsession for ham sandwiches and adventurous storytales. He remembered a young Hans prancing on his makeshift wooden horse stick, yelling throughout the castle about going off to be a knight. He remembered Hans sneaking into the kitchens to steal a jar of cookies, which he had reluctantly put back after being caught by his oldest brother. He remembered a Hans that had smiled a gap toothed smile every day, a Hans that brought joy into everyone's hard, tired life.

He remembered all of the times Hans had been happy. And he remembered all of the times he was sad, which unfortunately soon greatly outnumbered all the good times. Although he and his brothers had done their best to protect Hans' innocence, there were too many times they simply couldn't give him the time and attention he needed. Which left Hans alone quite often, a heart-broken, confused look on his face whenever his brothers would send him away from their offices to work, or leave him for months on end to face political issues or fight in wars. And they would leave him all alone with their father in the Southern Isles.

Their father. A pained look flashed across Artemis' face. It had come as no surprise to Artemis when one day after leaving Hans for almost a full year alone, Hans no longer had a smile on his face in greeting. His facial expression had joined the rest of theirs: blank.

He gave a slight shake of his head. No. The past is the past. It's time to focus on the present and the matter at hand.

"Hans."

Hans looked at his brother, a nervous tick developing in one of his legs. Artemis had risen from his seat and pulled himself up into an intimidating stance. Hans lowered his eyes to the ground.

"You are accused of high treason and attempted murder of the Queen. As much as I would like to give you a trial to defend yourself, I fear that the evidence is against you, brother. As such, I am not permitting a trial and will in fact decide your punishment right now and here." His voice was stern. "Hans, I regret to inform you that I hereby exile you from the Southern Isles for twenty years, and your title in our family will be permanently revoked. I will send word throughout all the kingdoms of your punishment, and you will not be allowed in any of their castles, and perhaps if they so desire, will not let you into their kingdoms. When or if you decide to return to the Southern Isles, you will be permitted to live inside the castle, but you will have none of the power you once had. Perhaps through marriage and maturity, you will be able to gain back your reputation and have power over something. That is my verdict." His eyes softened slightly. "I'm sorry, brother," he whispered quietly.

Hans' eyes had widened dramatically through his speech. Treason. Everyone would know. He wouldn't be safe anywhere, and he would be hated by all. "No," he breathed. "No, brother, I—"

"It's final, Hans. My word is law. You are lucky you received such pardoning from me," Artemis scolded. "Your actions could have given you the death penalty. But, if there is one true thing I know, it's this: I cannot kill my own brother," he said, his voice thick with pain. "I _will _not kill my own brother. Guards," he addressed to the royal guards in the room. "Seize him. I want him out of my kingdom. This is goodbye, brother."

Hans immediately turned around and sprinted for the door, briefly forgetting the chains connected to his ankles. He stumbled helplessly as one of the guards grabbed him by the shoulders and rammed him into the wall to keep him from moving anywhere.

"BROTHER!" He shouted. "NO! DON'T DO THIS! I'M SORRY!" Tears had begun to fall from his eyes. "I can change, damn it! Please, don't throw me away! Please! I am not like father!" He sobbed. "I AM NOT LIKE FATHER! Artemis! ARTEMIS!" Other guards joined into the fray and pulled Hans out of the room.

The rest of the brothers in the room could hear his anguished cries as he was led down the hallway. Silence fell upon the room and every brother felt a heavy weight on their chest. Even the twins didn't say a word, simply sitting there with worried expressions on their faces until the cries died out.

Artemis sighed heavily, gripping his head in frustration.

Oh, foolish brother, to think that the crown gives you any sort of satisfaction, he thought tiredly.

"What are we to do now? We need Arendelle," Gregory inquired.

Artemis stared solemnly at the table for a long second before giving orders. "Gregory, I need you to send a letter to Queen Elsa asking for our pardon. Also, inform her that she should also be expecting a letter from me as well. Brom, I need you to start organizing ships for departure."

Gregory and Brom both bowed. "It shall be done," they said in unison before leaving the room.

Artemis turned to Wyndell. "Wyndell, I need you to send letters to the rest of our brothers requesting for them to return home. If any of them having any rare or expensive treasures with them, tell them to bring it with them on their journey. And make sure to write to _every _brother."

Wyndell looked hesitant. "Even—"

"Yes," Artemis interrupted sternly. "Even Tybalt. That's an order." Wyndell nodded slowly before slinking out of the room. "You two," Artemis addressed the twins. "Can you handle the title as my new advisors and peace keepers?" The twins looked confused.

"Well, yes—"

"But why—"

"All in good time, brothers," Artemis assured them. He turned his attention on his last remaining brother. "Cedric," he started slowly. "I'm afraid I must ask something major from you…"

* * *

Elsa stood on her personal balcony, eyes moving back and forth quickly across the paper in her hands. She wore a troubled expression as she read the words on the paper. Her fingers trembled, small forms of ice glazing the edges of the letter.

_Queen Elsa of Arendelle,_

_Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Gregory, and I am the fourth official brother of the current Southern Isles ruler, King Artemis. I am writing to you to address the unfortunate series of events that occurred on the day of your coronation. However, before getting to this, I'd like to congratulate you on your coronation as Queen of Arendelle, and also send my sorrowful condolences regarding your parents. Their deaths were most unfortunate and I pray that you and your younger sister, Princess Anna, are handling their departure accordingly. Secondly, I'd like to sincerely apologize for my youngest brother, Hans, actions against your crown. Words cannot even truly express how apologetic my brothers and I am. Rest assured that Hans has been properly punished and will never lay a hand against your kingdom ever again. Finally, I am to inform you that my brother will be writing to you about matters quite above my personal knowledge. I know that the tension between our two kingdoms is thick, but know that we had nothing to do with Hans' treason and would very much like to be on agreeable terms with Arendelle. Please, do not turn his letter away._

_Warm Regards,_

_Prince Gregory of the Southern Isles_

Formal. Regal. Forced. Elsa clenched the letter tightly in her hands, loosening her grip slightly when she noticed the frost on the paper.

After the events of her coronation, Elsa had immediately sent out a clipped, angry letter about the state of events and ended her long, angry rant by specifically stating that she wanted absolutely nothing to do with the Southern Isles. Even before her coronation, Arendelle and the Southern Isles had been on short terms with each other. Elsa was intrigued, though, at the mention of the Southern Isles' new king, Artemis. Their former king must have passed away recently then if the oldest brother had taken the throne.

Elsa had met the former king only once in her life during childhood. He had come to negotiate with her parents and her father had allowed her to watch the negotiations so that she could learn how to deal with other kingdoms when it would be her time to take the throne. The former king, King Hubert, had been a gruff, ill-tempered man with wild, graying hair and a long beard that reached to his extended, bloating stomach. He was broad and battle hardened, with scars littered around his face and had colorless, grey eyes that seemed to stare straight through a person. He demanded from her father for supplies not easily attained in the Southern Isles, which her father had reluctantly agreed after gaining something from the trade as well. While Arendelle had sent their supplies immediately after the negotiations, the Southern Isles had failed to give up what they promised. When her father had journeyed to receive his part in the negotiations, her father and his guards were denied entrance into the kingdom and forcefully driven away. She remembered him coming home with a broken arm and bloodied cloak, much to her mother's horror. As such, her father cut off communications with the Southern Isles. Even before this, the kingdoms have never had a good relationship despite being so close to one another due to a ten year war between the two regarding territory. The two battling kingdoms eventually reached a truce and stalemate, but bitterness between both still lingered.

All Elsa has known from her encounters with the Southern Isles' leader and of what her father had told her were that they were deceitful, treacherous, harsh, and unfaithful oath keepers. How could she trust such a kingdom?

Sighing, she set down the first letter and reached out to read the last one.

"Elsa?"

Elsa turned around to find Anna standing in her room, yawning and carrying a large, red blanket behind her. She smiled. Although she could never forgive Hans for what he had done to her sister and her kingdom, she had to admit that his actions had brought the two sisters closer together than ever before. She put her arms out, and just as she expected, Anna fell into her embrace, sleepily rubbing at her eyes. She looked up tiredly at her older sister.

"What are you still doing up? It's past midnight."

Elsa arched an eyebrow. "I could be saying the same for you, baby sister," she accused, poking Anna's freckled nose. "Why are you out of bed? Not off to sneak out and see Kristoff again, are you?" She asked suspiciously, putting a hand on her hips.

Anna's eyes widened comically and she blushed. "W-What? How did you even find—um, I mean, that's not true!" She quickly replied. "Um, I just came in here to have a sleepover. You know," she said shyly, "like the good old days."

Elsa's eyes softened. "Sure, we can do that," she said softly, smiling. "Just give me a minute, okay? I have queenly duties to live up to right now." Anna's nose wrinkled in distaste at that.

"Ugh!"Queenly duties" are the worst! How do you put up with all the snobbish, stuck up egoists in one room? Like the Ambassador of Grettlehorn!" Anna squished her face together. "Hi, I'm Ambassador Frogface and I like fixing my moustache every five seconds," she imitated.

Elsa laughed and joined in. "And I'm the Count of Durmingstam!" She crossed her eyes and stuck her nose up. "My hair is long and pretty, I brush it every day. Your hair will never look as perfect as my heavenly locks," she mimicked in a nasally voice.

They both broke out into small peals of laughter, enjoying their brief moment together.

"Alright, alright," Elsa said, face slightly flushed from laughing. "Let me finish this real quick, okay?"

Anna peered curiously at the letter. "Um, okay. But who is it from?"

Elsa's smile disappeared. "The Southern Isles' King."

"WHAT? Didn't they get the message, and yes I mean literally get the message, that they're not wanted and we want nothing to do with them?" Anna asked angrily.

Elsa sighed. "I know. Believe me, when I checked through the mail and found out the addressees of two of the letters were from the Southern Isles, I was just as shocked as you are. I was going to burn them, chuck them into the fire and make it seem as if I hadn't received the letter." She bit her lip.

"But…?"

"That would be running away from the problem," she explained. "I've read the first letter. It's a sorry excuse for an apology to tell you the truth, but it's something. And now, I just have to read this letter." She waved the letter in her hands. "I want to see why the King of Southern Isles' would bother writing to me after I specifically asked for no further contact between our kingdoms."

Anna glanced wearily over at the letter. "Well, alright," she said slowly. "But make sure to wear your gloves when opening it. Nothing wrong with being too cautious." Her eyes momentarily widened. "What if it's poisoned? Or filled with love potion?"

Elsa rolled her eyes. "And with that, I think it's time for you to go to bed, sweet sister." She took Anna's hand and led her to the bed. To her surprise, Anna didn't put up much of a fight.

Anna yawned and flopped onto the bed. "Alright. G'night, Elsa," she mumbled. In seconds, she was asleep, snoring softly. Elsa smiled affectionately down at her younger sibling and ruffled her hair before returning to her work. She sat down at her desk, fingers nervously clutching the second letter. Finally, with a small exhale, she grabbed the letter opener and slipped it easily against the envelope, freeing the piece of paper.

_Queen Elsa of Arendelle,_

_Greetings. In case my brother forgot to mention it in the previous letter, I am King Artemis of the Southern Aisles. I'm sure you are very surprised and even a little upset that you would be receiving any form of letter from our kingdom. Believe me, I understand truly and heartily. I will be completely honest with you: your kingdom and mine have not been on very good terms even before the whole fiasco with my brother. King Hubert ran my current kingdom almost like a dictatorship; you can only imagine what he was like as a father. His ways of teaching and nurturing me and my twelve younger brothers were, questionable to say the least. Hans was an unfortunate victim along with the rest of us of my father's cruelty as he fed into the belief that power was the only way to prove oneself and all magic was full of corruption and darkness. I'm here to let you know that I do not share my father's views, and as such, would like to start anew with the kingdom of Arendelle. First off, my brother, Hans, has received harsh punishment for his crimes and will never hold the title of prince of the Southern Isles again in his lifetime. Second, I'm bringing my brothers together for each of us to deliver gifts upon your kingdom, if you so permit and grant us access to your docks. We will come unarmed, naturally, and each of us will apologize once more for troubling your kingdom. Third, the Southern Isles would like to offer free trading routes between our kingdoms for the next five years, if you so choose to trade with us once more. Finally, I may have to ask something drastic from you._

Elsa paused in her reading at this line. Uncertainly, she sipped at the tea next to her before continuing.

_Let me be very clear: this request that I am asking from you, you have the absolute right and authority to refuse. All other offers are on the table if you so choose as well. Nothing I ask of you is demanded. With that cleared up, I'd like to bring up the other mandatory events preceding your coronation._

Elsa stilled, eyes widening.

_I know this is very sudden and shocking to you, but as I have said before, I would love for our kingdoms to be on peaceful terms and prosper together. As such, I'd like one of my brothers to be considered as one of your possible suitors in the Courting Ceremonies. The brother I choose, I assure you, will not be anything like Hans. He will be courteous, polite, and genuine. Most importantly, he will be honorable and honest, a trustworthy character who will pour his heart and soul into whatever he does. Please, Queen Elsa, I implore you to at least think about my offer. _

_Sincerely, _

_King Artemis of the Southern Isles_

Elsa continued to stare blankly at the letter, even after re-reading it three more times to make sure she had read it correctly. Frost had gathered around her desk, covering it in a flurry of snow. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly to rid the storm inside her. This couldn't be happening. The Courting Ceremonies were in the not so distant future; how could the king possibly think that she'd be ready to even face his kin, much less marry them? Elsa's eyes darkened, remembering just how sincere Hans had seemed right before he had tried to bring his sword down on her turned back. Any brother of Hans had just the same amount of potential to betray and hurt her, or even worse, her sister.

Yet, the king had seemed genuine, even more so than his other brother, Gregory. Would it be so bad to take up his offer? Elsa groaned, putting her face into her hands. Elsa felt conflicted; on one hand, she wanted to throw the letter away and continue giving the Southern Isles the cold shoulder. On the other hand, free trading routes were promising for her kingdom and she was curious how Hans had turned out to be so deceitful. But was it worth letting the Southern Isles' family into her kingdom and possibly being attacked when she was vulnerable? And could she even take the King's word on his last offer? Marriage was a scary thing to her, whether the suitor was from the Southern Isles or not.

After almost two hours of indecision and shooting shards of ice accidentally into her ceiling, Elsa had reached a decision. She grabbed a quill, ink, and paper and began to write.

_King Artemis of the Southern Isles,_


	2. Chapter 2

**W-a-r-m-t-h**

* * *

"Can I ask this of you, Cedric?"

Cedric stared at his brother, hardly comprehending the full effect of his words.

"Can you repeat that?"

Artemis lifted an eyebrow before sighing loudly. He had already explained this to his brother three times, yet each time his brother only looked more confused and understood even less. Thankfully, Artemis had sent the twins away in order to tell Cedric first; those two would have given him a bigger headache than the one he was currently dealing with.

He tried again. "Cedric," he stated slowly. "I know what I'm asking from you is hard to accept and perhaps even unfair. However, given the state of affairs right now, I don't see another alternative." He took a breath. "If Elsa accepts my request, I am sending you to participate in the Courting Ceremonies."

Cedric blinked.

Artemis waited patiently, hands folded neatly on the table.

Cedric blinked again.

Artemis continued to wait.

Cedric blinked once more. "Can you repeat that?"

"Cedric!" Artemis finally cried out in exasperation, slumping slightly in his seat.

"I-I'm sorry," Cedric stammered apologetically. "It's just-I can't wrap my mind around this. Why would you send me out of all of us?"

Artemis rubbed at his temple. "No one has the time to deal with this situation. And no, the twins are not cards on the table right now. It'd be a disaster if I sent one of those two as a courter," he muttered irritably.

"I'm no better," Cedric pointed out. "I know this is necessary, but, I'm not exactly comfortable with all this, you know," Cedric scratched nervously at his cheek, "because I'm, well, for lack of better word, socially inept." He cleared his throat.

Artemis' eyes softened. Cedric had always been a curious one; he rarely spoke, seldom ever engaged in open conversation, hated sparring, and was quite an awkward and shy thing around the opposite sex. His nose was always stuck in some random book (even during times he really should have been working); however, despite his social awkwardness, he would always greet and thank every servant he came across with a small, hesitant smile on his face. Artemis never understood his younger brother's anxiety with people. He was a handsome fellow and very much well liked in the kingdom. His gentle demeanor and quiet disposition instantly put everyone around him at ease. While he may not be a natural charmer, Cedric was kind and courteous, a prime example and possible suitor for the Queen.

And yet, Cedric couldn't accept himself, couldn't see the potential he had inside.

Artemis sighed. "Look, Ced," he said, running a hand through his hair. "I know I'm asking a lot from you. I know you're not exactly a," he paused, "people person."

Cedric looked away guiltily, twisting his hands together. "It's not that. I can be a people person." He bit the inside of his cheek in thought. "It's just…"

"I know," Artemis assured, resting a hand on his younger brother's shoulder. It saddened him to watch his brother flinch and jerk slightly away from his touch, unused to human contact. "Believe me, I know. I'm really sorry it's come to this. Not that I'd ever say that you're my last option, but I know that social interactions are not your strong point. And there's nothing wrong with that," he added quickly upon seeing his brother's face fall slightly. "However, I'm also aware that you have greatness hidden within you, an aura that make people actually quite taken with you."

Cedric looked up, surprised.

Artemis chuckled at his little brother's reaction. "Yes, Ced, people actually like you. Is that so hard to imagine? Why, the servant girls talk about you all the time," he teased. "I've caught many a conversation of them complimenting your looks, dear brother."

Cedric blushed at this and shuffled his feet. "I-um, uh—"

"Worry not," Artemis said, ruffling his brother's hair affectionately. "You'll be fine, Cedric. If the Queen accepts, you will go, charm her to your fullest extent, and that will be that. If she accepts you as Arendelle's new king, well, that's great for both of our kingdoms and I foresee a very happy marriage. If not—"He paused. "Well, there's no harm in trying. Who knows? Maybe the Queen will become friendly with our kingdom."

Cedric merely nodded, looking unconvinced.

Artemis smiled. "I'm not going to put any pressure on you, Ced. It'll be alright. Just give it a try. It'll get you out of this kingdom for a while and away from work."

"That's only _if _she accepts the request," Cedric emphasized.

Artemis frowned. "True." He hoped that the Queen would accept. If not, supplies needed in the kingdom that they usually received from Arendelle would be scarce and hard to come by. In case of war, the Southern Isles only had one other ally to turn to, and they were much farther than Arendelle and even less friendly, if that were possible. Whether his father (the mere thought of him brought on a grimace) believed it or not, the Southern Isles depended on their alliance and truce between Arendelle. Without it, the kingdom was helpless.

Just then, the twins burst through the doors, almost tripping on the rug and falling to the floor. Artemis let out a long, jaded sigh, feeling another oncoming headache surge through his temples. Cedric simply watched his older brothers, amused.

While Cedric was mild-mannered and introverted, the twins were on a whole other level of hyperactive and trouble. Unlike the rest of his younger brothers, the twins never lost their childish need for pranks and fun, often making jokes and causing havoc in the castle.

"Hey!" They both cried out.

"What's this—"

"We hear—"

"About—"

"Sending little—"

"Ceddie—"

"Away?" They finished on point with wide grins.

Artemis sighed. It was going to be a long week ahead.

* * *

"You lazy worm!"

"My prince—"

"Out of my way, I don't have time for your incompetence! I am a busy man, squire! Rid yourself of my sight before I lose my supper!"

Jeffrey, the third oldest son of the Southern Isles, hissed at the young, terrified boy in front of him, who stood holding onto a tea kettle. He watched with some glee as the boy shot out of his darkened office room as if demons were on his tail. Jeffrey sat back in his chair, scowling at the wet spot on his dress shirt. He was a busy man, a presentable man. He had no time for lousy, clumsy servant boys or foolish requests from the council demanding he look into the matter of whether or not the new ballroom should be painted purple. Taxes needed to be looked at. Citizens needed to be placated. And a new king needed to be appointed immediately else riots would soon break out.

"Damn it all!" He seethed. Why the hell did he leave the Southern Isles for this? The kingdom of Froulle, although grander, had much more political corruption and crime than he had originally thought. He yelled and threw his pen across the room. Being the king's advisor was not an easy job.

The door to his office opened slowly, allowing a small amount of light in. A head poked tentatively from behind the wooden door.

"Sir?"

Jeffrey bared his teeth and shot an angry, crazed look in his squire's direction. Bloody hell, could the idiot not take a hint?

"WHAT?"

The squire squeaked. "Ah, um, a message, m'lord. From your brother, Gregory, of the Southern Isles."

Jeffrey's face fell into a solemn expression. His brothers never contacted him. Something must have happened.

He held out his hand impatiently. "Bring it here."

The squire quickly made his way over, deposited the letter into his master's hands, and stood silently in front of his desk before his lord could become even more short-tempered with him. Jeffrey unfolded the letter, eyes moving fast over every line. As he finished, he put down the letter, a grim look on his face. He glanced up at his squire, making him jump slightly in fear.

"Fetch my cloak. We're leaving."

The squire sent the letter a curious look. "For where, m'lord?" He asked.

Jeffrey's jaw tightened. "The Southern Isles."

* * *

Across the kingdoms, letters arrived for each of the brothers.

Bernard, the fifth son, rested his head against a young, apple tree. He unfolded his letter, frowning at the part Hans was mentioned, and grinning at the rest. He laughed.

"Time to return to the ol' homestead."

* * *

Harold, the seventh son, sheathed his sword, wiping the sweat from his brow, and went over to the messenger gesturing to him. He opened the letter and sighed.

"I guess it's time for a family reunion."

* * *

Trevor, the eighth son, unloaded the gold he had found in the Wicker Mountains into his cabin and came out only to have his trusty eagle friend, Fangtooth, land on his shoulder and slip a piece of paper into his palm. He read through it, each word on the page making his mood sour. He ripped the paper in his hands and threw it into the ocean.

"Fock!"

* * *

Tybalt looked down at the letter in his hand. He slipped it into his pants pocket, pulled up the hood of his cloak, and left the bodies littered on the floor, blood dripping from the tips of his fingers. He smirked.

"Well, this should be interesting."

* * *

"Your Majesty?"

Artemis turned to address the young servant in front of him, his long cape billowing as he spun from his position of looking out at his kingdom.

"You have word from Arendelle?"

The servant nodded. "I do, Your Majesty. Queen Elsa has written a response." He held out the letter for the king to take, which the king did so and dismissed him. He took a deep breath, unsure of what to expect, and slowly opened the letter. He shifted his gaze to the paper; and his face twisted between fear, shock, happiness, and pure joy, a smile appearing on his bearded face.

And the more he read, the larger his smile got.

* * *

"Elsa, are you sure about this?"

"Not at all."

"Then why—"

"Honestly Anna? I don't even know. My hand just started _writing _on its own accord. I honestly don't even remember what I wrote."

"But you accepted?"

Silence.

"Okay," Anna said slowly, gripping her sister's hands in hers. "I just hope you know what you're doing."

Elsa exhaled. "Me too, Anna," she said quietly, squeezing her little sister's hand. She looked up to the darkening sky, afraid for her future. "Me too."

* * *

Hans shivered in the cold, unable to escape the searing winds around him. Just as Artemis had said, Hans was turned away from the first kingdom he tried to enter. The guards had taken one look at his disheveled appearance and immediately raised their swords and shields. Hans, weaponless and not willing to fight a whole battalion, looked for a better place who would hopefully take him in. Unfortunately, the next three kingdoms were just the same, leaving Hans homeless, hungry, and miserable. He settled for an abandoned meadow away from civilization, and used the tattered remains of his cloak as a makeshift bed. Hans stared up at the moonlit sky, Artemis' words running through his mind.

_You are not your father. _

Hans blinked back tears, missing the safety of home, regretting every last word he had said in the dining hall.

_You are not your father. _

Hans tried to block out the voice in his head, repeating the line like a broken record.

_You are not your father. _

Shut up.

_You are not your father. _

Shut up!

_You are not your father. _

Hans snapped. "SHUT UP!" He yelled at the sky, as if expecting a reply back. His lay back down and put both hands on his ears, trying to block the world out and just rest.

And still, the voice talked.

_You are not your father. _

Artemis' face morphed into another, his long black hair and grey eyes transforming into a man with red hair and bright, green eyes.

A man that looked just like him.

_You are not your father. _

The man grinned.

_But you are me._

Hans did not sleep well that night.


	3. Chapter 3

Here's the next chapter. Thank you all for the lovely reviews.

Enjoy!

...

...

"Checkmate!"

"Sonaofa—"Fredrick threw his hands up in frustration, contemplating overthrowing the chess board game in front of him. Across from him, Kippler sat smugly in his seat, smirking.

"Bad move, brother. You left your king wide open for the taking," he said, pointing to the open route his younger twin had accidently neglected.

Fredrick scowled and grabbed one of his chess pieces before flinging it at his brother's head, who – much to his disappointment- ducked, still grinning.

Kippler made a clucking noise with his tongue. "Spoil sport."

Fredrick huffed. "You cheated, I know you did." He crossed his arms. "You always cheat."

"And you, dear brother, are a sore loser," Kippler said, shaking his head. "Ah, what the hell. After all, it's just a game." He started putting his pieces away all the while giving his brother a superior grin. Fredrick threw one of his pawns this time and laughed triumphantly when it hit his twin brother in the eye.

"Fred, damn it all! Stop throwing stuff!" Kippler complained, holding a hand over his now throbbing eye.

"I will when you admit defeat, you cheater." Another object was thrown and made contact with the other eye.

"Fred, damn you!"

They were both in the royal library, enjoying a warm summer day inside watching the bright sunlight shine from within the slightly dusty room. Books lined the walls all around them and a comfortable sitting area equipped with a set of comfortable sofas and a small coffee table sat to their right. Cedric was currently occupying one of the spots on the sofa, laying down with one hand behind his head and the other lazily draped on his stomach, hair all askew, reading Hamlet, and sipping an ice cold glass of lemonade. Yet, despite the portrayal of contentment, Cedric's mind was racing a mile a minute, hardly caring about the words on the page.

She accepted.

He gulped, his eyes moving up to trail the patterns on the ceiling.

She _accepted_.

Why? Why would she accept? Cedric tapped his fingers on his shirt, completely thrown at the fact that Elsa accepted his request to participate in the Courting Ceremonies. He had expected outright denial and fury, a letter telling Artemis to go throw himself into the ocean and feed the sharks for even suggesting such a thing. Yet, she had accepted. She accepted despite the Southern Isles' and Arendelle feud. She accepted despite the betrayal of Hans.

Cedric was perplexed…and intrigued.

He had heard almost next to nothing about the Queen other than that she could control winter. He wasn't sure what to expect in his eventual confrontation with her. Is she nice? Young? Beautiful? What does she even like? Does she like the same things he did? Would she give him a chance?

Good lord, how could he go through with this? Cedric groaned silently. His conversations with women (if he could even call them that, as they involved a lot of stuttering and croaking on his part) were few and far between. In the Courting Ceremonies, it was custom for the courter to get to know his potential spouse by taking them out for the day, talking, ask and learn everything they could on their love interest, surprise them with gifts, and charm them through ballroom dancing or by winning jousts.

Yeah, like he was comfortable enough to even say hello to her, much less everything else.

Cedric stopped pretending to read and let the book flop onto the hardwood floor. He rose up and took a chug of his lemonade, nearly choking on it when he saw that his brothers were now watching him with matching mischievous grins.

"Sooo—"Fredrick started.

"What are your feelings—"Kippler continued.

"About getting married?" They both asked.

Cedric tugged at the collar on his shirt, coloring slightly. "Um, well," he said nervously. "Isn't it a little too soon to, uh, tell? I mean, I have to get past the first part, which is, uh, her, you know…choosing me and all…"

Kippler shook his head. "Nuh, uh. That's not what we're talking about. We didn't ask about what happens in the ceremonies. How do _you_ feel about marriage?"

Cedric paused. He'd never given marriage much thought. He'd been a loner his whole life, so marriage – hell, talking to people in general – was off limits for him.

Until now.

"I don't know what to expect," he admitted. "I've never really thought about marriage. To me, it's a scary concept. I mean, pledging yourself whole heartedly to another person while completely aware that that person could tear you apart and break you?" He shrugged. "Sounds terrible to me."

Fredrick laughed, leaning back in his chair. "Ha! Wouldn't have taken you of all people for a pessimist, Seddie!"

Kippler smiled as well. "I think you're seeing marriage the wrong way, Sed. Think of marriage more like two individuals connecting their souls together and pledging their undying love for one another until the end of time. Cheesy, I know, but it's the sort of thing women rave about."

Fredrick turned to look at his brother, impressed. "Ho, ho! Dear brother, I never took _you _for a romantic," he teased. "When did you go all soft on me?"

"I'm just saying," Kippler sighed, rolling his eyes, "that Cedric should see it as an opportunity to find love, that's all."

"Of course," Fredrick said, blowing kisses at his brother. Kippler rolled his eyes again, mumbling under his breath something that sounded very much like, "See, this is why I'm the more mature one…"

Cedric shifted in his seat. He didn't mean to sound like a pessimist. It wasn't really the idea of the other person hurting him, but the other way around.

"I wouldn't want to hurt her," he said quietly to himself, staring at his palms in thought.

He was pulled away from his worries when two guards marched into the library. They bowed to their princes before relaying their message.

"My princes," they replied simultaneously. "Your brothers have just arrived to port. King Artemis of the Southern Isles requires your presence."

Cedric's eyes widened and the twins glanced at each other uneasily.

Finally, Fredrick spoke, voicing all of their thoughts.

"Well, shit."

…

…

"Ah, it's so nice to have the family together again," Harold said, his voice echoing across the long table.

"Tybalt."

"…Jeffrey."

"Nice cloak. How many children did you have to skin for it, might I ask?"

"Why, not nearly enough I'd say. And what about your cloak? How many of those tax dollars went into buying that shitty piece of cloth?"

"More than you'll ever be able to afford."

"As long as I'm not stealing from the poor and pretending to be a hero, I'm happy."

"Yes, you are very far from a hero, murderer."

Harold sighed irritably, already beginning to regret saying his earlier statement. "Yes, how good it is to be home and enjoy all of your lovely company," he said sarcastically.

"Endure, more like it," Brom muttered.

Another sigh.

All twelve brothers sat situated around the dining room table. Artemis sat at the end of the table, surveying the room with some unease as his brothers forced themselves to stay in their seats and not lunge at each other. A seat away from him, Bernard was whistling a merry tune to himself, not caring that Trevor, who sat on the far end, was glaring daggers at him. Gregory kept shooting disapproving frowns at Jeffery and Tybalt, not liking Jeffrey's arrogance and blatant display of his wealth, and not fond of Tybalt in general. Jeffrey sat in the middle wearing a fancy dress shirt and black pants, both shoulders covered by a red, fur cloak covered in jewels and tried to remain unaware of Brom and Gregory's eyes on him. Wyndell and Harold sat side by side, both wishing to be anywhere but here. Fredrick and Kippler amused themselves by playing a game of "knock the other's hand off of the table" with each other, earning annoyed glances from all across the room. Tybalt sat next to Cedric, an amused smirk on his face, very much aware of his brothers' dislike of him and his profession. Cedric sat close to Artemis, wondering if there was a way to escape from this room indiscreetly.

Artemis cleared his throat. "Well, since we're all here—"

Bernard interrupted. "Hey, Trev!" He said cheerfully, waving at his brother. "Still out on the seven seas playing pirate?"

Trevor crossed his arms and shot his brother a look of contempt. "I'm an explora', na' a pirate, ya' bloody idiot," he corrected angrily in his thick accent. "An' what do ya' mean by playin'? I'm doin' actual work, unlike a certain someone here. How many gals have ya' stuck in, ya' bloody bastard?"

Bernard whistled. "Well, well, brother. I'm surprised at your lack of tact. A true gentleman never tells how many women he's laid with," he replied cheekily, winking.

Trevor snorted. "Na' a true gentleman when he's layin' with 'ores," he countered.

"Hmm, true," Bernard agreed, rubbing his chin. But then, he smirked. "But then again, he's not a true _man _if he hasn't lain at all." Trevor bristled at that and ended the conversation by glaring at a corner in the room, blushing. The twins snickered to themselves when they saw Cedric's face flush as well.

Artemis felt a headache coming on. "Guys," he said slowly. "If we can just—"

"Blimey, Jeffrey, can you take off that godforsaken cloak? You're blinding my eyes," Brom said, glaring.

Jeffrey glared back. "It was a gift from the king, you uncultured—"

"I don't give a damn where the blasted thing came from," Brom said rudely. "Take it off, you're making my eyes burn."

Jeffrey scowled. "Fine. Squire!" He called out. His squire, who had been hiding in the corner, squeaked and quickly ran over to tend to his lord. He gently took the cloak off his shoulders and held it in his arms. When Jeffrey snapped his fingers, the squire, stumbling over the heavy cloak, went back to his corner.

Tybalt chuckled, leaning back with his hands behind his head and legs on the table. "Teach him to do tricks, have you? When you whistle, does he bark?" The squire shuffled his feet at this comment, face downcast in shame.

Jeffrey's eyes darkened. "No, I actually expected that more from you, to be honest," he said coldly. "Tell me, when your master tells you to kill someone, do you do so without question or regret?"

Tybalt's smile fell. "I've told you this a million times before," he growled. "We don't kill innocents, only those who are guilty and deserve to face the God of Death. 'We are many. We are none. We follow the way of the shadows, we fight in the way of the shadows. Punishment only comes to those who are guilty of heinous crimes. Their punishment is death. The God of Death will decide their fate. We are the heroes of humanity, the vigilantes of the night. We are many. We are none. We are the Night Keepers,'" he finished, holding out his arm to show the Night Keeper's tattoo, which consisted of a black raven wrapping itself around his wrist.

"Put that away," Brom ground out. It irked him to know that his brother flaunted the tattoo so easily even though he knew how the rest of the kingdoms felt about it. Truth be told, he should be arresting his brother for having that in the first place, or at the least throw him out of the kingdom.

"Huh, funny code you have there, brother," Gregory said disapprovingly. "Considering you're an _assassin_," he spat the word with utter revulsion.

Tybalt raised an eyebrow. "Are we here to question my line of profession? Because, if that were the case, I would have stayed exactly where I was."

Artemis finally stepped in. "Enough," he said sternly. "You guys can squabble after the meeting, but for now, shut your mouths and listen." All chatter in the room instantly died, everyone's attention directed at their king. "Alright," Artemis sighed. "Now that I have your attention, we can now begin. First things first: Hans."

Chaos broke out once more.

"Tha' stoopid little blighta'," Trevor voiced, slamming his fists on the table. "Who the 'ell does he think e' is? He deserved a worsa punishmen' than tha', Art."

"Like what? Kill our own brother?" Wyndell chimed in. "That was the only option left, and one that would have certainly caused a great deal of problems and pain."

"I didn' say all tha'! Give 'im a bit e' the ol' jail time to straighten 'im up!"

Bernard laughed, crossing his arms. "A bit too late for that now, dear brother."

Trevor glared at him. "I wasn' talking te' you, ya' daft monkey!"

"I think you made the right decision," Tybalt said, nodding his head. "Hans was getting too pampered anyways." He smirked. "We don't want him ending up like Jeffrey, now do we?"

Jeffrey rose from his seat. "Say all you want about me, brother. But I think Hans may be closer to ending up like you: a murdering, heartless, conniving asshole!" He yelled. Tybalt merely continued smirking at his older brother in amusement.

"Can't you two get along for once?" Gregory looked back and forth between both brothers, frowning. "You, sit down," he ordered, pointing at the vacant seat behind Jeffrey. Jeffrey glowered down at his brother for some time, before slowly descending back into his chair. "And you," Gregory said, now addressing Tybalt. "None of your smarminess today. This is important." Tybalt scoffed, but took his feet from off the table, sending a subtle wink over to Jeffrey to piss him off one last time.

Artemis slammed a hand down onto the table to get everybody's attention again. "On second thought, we'll skip Hans for a later, individual talk," he said, making eye contact with each of his brothers. "I know you all have different opinions on the matter, so I'll hear you out in private. But know this: my decision is final; there is no changing my mind. What's done is done. Hans has been exiled, and that's that." He leaned back into his throne. "Now, onto the next thing: apologizing to the Queen."

Bernard blinked. "Wait. Why are _we_ apologizing to the Queen? We didn't do anything. If anything, you should have had Hans apologize before you exiled him."

Artemis shook his head in disagreement. "And what good would that have done? Hans is stubborn and would have probably offended the Queen even more. And we're not just apologizing for his actions; we're apologizing for everything between Arendelle and the Southern Isles." He paused. " I want to repair our alliance, strengthen it in a sense. This petty dislike for one another cannot go on for much longer."

Gregory rolled his eyes. "They started it," he accused. "We were here far longer than their kingdom, so they were the ones who actually invaded. It's kind of ridiculous that in the treaty they got more of the land than we did."

"Yeah, but we were the ones who attacked first," Brom refuted. "It's only natural that they fought back."

"It doesn't matter who started the war," Artemis cut in. "Let's focus on the present. We need Arendelle, and that's the truth. In fact, that's exactly why I sent Hans there to begin with for the Queen's Coronation. He was supposed to represent our country in a positive way." He scowled in annoyance. "Obviously, he failed. So now, it's up to us to fix this mess by apologizing." He folded his hands together. "Did you bring the gifts?"

Every brother nodded their heads and put any treasures they've collected onto the table.

All except Bernard.

Silence filled the room.

"…Bernard…"

"Yes, brother?" He asked innocently.

Artemis was paying no attention to his brother, but instead at the object his brother had put on the table. His eye twitched. "What…is that?" He asked, his tone filled with disbelief.

Bernard shrugged sheepishly. "Well brother, as you know I'm a poor fellow in my kingdom—"

"No yur' not, ya' spend all yur' money on 'ores!"

"—And you know how forgetful I am about these things, so I grabbed the nearest thing I could find to present to the Queen, and voila!" He finished, dramatically showing off his object.

Artemis' eye twitched again. "You're giving an apple core to the Queen?"He asked angrily, gritting his teeth in frustration.

Bernard threw his hands up. "Well, I'm sorry I don't live as luxurious a life as the rest of you! This is the best I've got! If you've got any other suggestions, be my guest, because I really don't have the money right now." He crossed his arms, pouting.

Silence once again fell on the room.

Suddenly, Kippler spoke up.

"Say, Jeffrey. How much do you really love that cloak?"

…

…

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Jeffrey grumbled.

"Hey!" The twins shouted up at him.

"Don't worry—"

"About it—"

"It's worth a lot—"

"And the Queen will love it—"

"As a rug!" They both finished with wicked grins on their faces as they held up Jeffrey's bejeweled cloak in their hands to throw into the pile with the rest of the treasures. Tired of being inside the room, they had volunteered to help the captain and his crew load the treasures for the upcoming journey.

Jeffrey shook his head. "This is why you never come back home." He watched sadly from the window in the castle as his cloak was loaded along with the rest of the gifts onto one of the ships, disappearing from his sight. Tybalt went to stand next to him, his hood up to conceal his face from the world. Jeffrey glared at him from the corner of his eye.

"You're standing too close to me for me to be comfortable. Not thinking of sticking a knife in my back, are you?"

Tybalt looked at him for a second before turning back to stare out the window. "Funny choice of words, brother, considering that's exactly what you did to me," he stated quietly.

Jeffrey stiffened. "I—"

"No," Tybalt growled. "You left me. You left me alone to deal with father's wrath when I needed you most." He shook his head. "We made a promise to one another. You and me, remember? How we were supposed to get out of the Southern Isles, stay out of politics, and start anew somewhere else? How we both dreamed of being knights and fighting to defend people's honor?"

"Yeah, I do," Jeffrey said coldly. "But then I realized what you and Artemis were doing. What you were _committing_. It was—"

Tybalt rounded on him suddenly, grabbing Jeffrey by his shirt. "You think we had a choice?" He criticized furiously. "Do you think that we did that willingly?" He pushed Jeffrey away. "No, you don't get to play that trump. You don't get to use that against me, especially since when he left, this—"

Tybalt stepped back, and pulled his hood down to show his face. A long, raised scar starting from the right side of his forehead down to his chin and cutting through one of his eyes leaving a severed white eyeball stared back at Jeffrey. Jeffrey stared into the blank, white eye, reliving the events that happened from the past.

Screaming in the background.

Angry shouting from King Hubert.

And blood.

So much blood.

Blood in the room.

Blood on his fingertips.

Blood.

The blood of innocents.

Tybalt put his hood back on.

"—This is what he did to me," Tyblalt breathed. "This is what happens when you lie to father. And this," he gestured to the major distance between them, "is what happens when you lie to yourself."

He left his brother to ponder what he had said, leaving him guilty and confused.

…

…

"Okay."

"What's the last part?"

Artemis rubbed his neck.

His brothers had all come back to the meeting after their small fifteen minute break to hear the last part of his proposal to the Queen.

Now it was time for the big shocker.

Artemis breathed in deep. "I've requested that one of you be sent to Arendelle to participate in the Courting Ceremonies being held for the Queen, so that Arendelle will have a new king."

Cheers erupted from around the room.

"Alright!" High fives.

"Perfect! This is all so exciting!"

"But I'm married."

"Nobody cares, Harold!"

"Yeah, who said we were sending _you_?"

"Yeah!...Wait a second."

All the cheering stopped. The brothers looked back up at Artemis, curious.

"Who _are_ we sending?" They all echoed at the same time.

"Cedric," Artemis said calmly.

Silence.

…

….

…..

…

"CEDRIC?!"

…

…

Aaaand that's all folks!


	4. Chapter 4

Hey there! I'm sorry about the late update! I've had a lot going on, including graduating, doing an internship at a hospital, completing scholarship essays, and being obsessed with my new PS4. Also, just a touch of procrastination and writer's block. Thank you for all your lovely reviews! To make up for my neglect, here's a chapter for you good people. Enjoy!

Also, to help you guys out with the order of brothers in case it gets a little confusing.

1) Artemis

2) Brom

3) Jeffrey

4) Tybalt

5) Bernard

6) Gregory

7) Harold

8) Trevor

9) Wyndell

10) Fredrick

11) Kippler

12) Cedric

13) Hans

…

…

"Elsa?"

"Elsa?"

"Elsa, are you alright?"

"Elsa!"

"Hm?" Elsa asked absentmindedly, staring blankly across the table at the Ambassador of Horington, who looked very annoyed that during his rambling about matters she truly didn't care about, he realized she hadn't heard a word. Elsa glanced over to her left at Kai, who gave her a concerned frown.

They were in the royal council room where she, foreign visitors, and her own council would usually discuss about current affairs or problems that need to be dealt with; so naturally as Queen of Arendelle, the council room was unfortunately her second home. Elsa hated being present for these tedious meetings. They were all the same: my kingdom needs this, my kingdom wants that, the surrounding villages are displeased with their rural lifestyle and need more money, and the list continues. Every complaint brought on a headache and took more and more money from out of her kingdom's already limited treasury. Even worse than the complaints were the foreign affairs. Most of the foreign representatives she had met were snobbish and conceited idiots that would momentarily forget about their own kingdom and focus only on themselves.

Much like the man in front of her, who had been talking nonstop about how "luxurious" and "powerful" his family is, which is why she had stopped listening halfway through and became lost in her thoughts about the recent activities between herself and the Southern Isles.

It had been almost three weeks since her agreement with the Southern Isles that they could participate in the Courting Ceremonies. They had sent her a short, exuberant letter expressing their gratitude (and their apologies once more for Hans' behavior) for allowing one of their own to be one her potential suitors. She also relented to their former requests for free trade routing and gifts from each of the brothers, which meant that not only would the suitor on the day of the Courting Ceremonies be present, but the whole family as well.

A whole pack of Hans' older brothers. What had she gotten herself into?

She inwardly groaned. And then there's the Courting Ceremonies. Why must she wed? Her kingdom was functioning perfectly fine without a male leader and her people were content with her ruling now. Yet, of course, traditions get into the way of everything and not even a week after the winter fiasco she had caused, the council had immediately proposed the idea of the Ceremonies, and without her consent had sent dozens of invitations all across the land. They had even sent an invite to Weselton for their king's son to participate, despite their betrayal and disgust with her powers. Over one hundred potential suitors and she had to choose ten that she deemed competent for the title as her fiancée and one that she could see herself living happily by their side and rule her kingdom.

The decision and burden constantly filtered through her head. How could she do this? She wasn't ready for the commitment.

She shook her head, forcing herself to focus on the matter at hand even if it was repetitive and boring. "My apologies, Ambassador Craine," she said smoothly. "You were saying?"

Ambassador Craine was a stubby, middle aged man with short legs, a curled mustache, and a bald, shiny head. Craine was a frequent visitor to Arendelle – much to Elsa's displeasure – and it almost seemed as if his kingdom wasn't able to sustain itself with all of the supplies and demands he had made from Arendelle (much of which Elsa did not agree to due to the ridiculousness of the requests).

She groaned to herself again when she instantly realized Horington's prince was also on the list of suitors for the Courting Ceremonies.

Ambassador Craine sniffed irritably. "As I was saying, your Highness, my king would love if you could come to visit our luxurious kingdom in the winter season and be present at our winter festival. It is a grand event that many kingdoms across the land attend, hosted by one of the most luxurious and powerful family lines this world has ever seen," he ended proudly. "It would be a great honor for you to come and join in on the glory of this wonderful event."

Elsa was not fooled. "It's summer," she commented. "Winter is a long time from now. And even an early invitation would usually be sent by letter, not by mouth. Is there a reason for your presence here, Ambassador Craine?"

"Well, your Highness," he said slowly. "The winter season is your time of the year, I'm told. People across the world would be there. Perhaps, if you would be willing to—"

"You want me to show off my abilities at the festival," she said flatly. Kai stiffened next to her.

The room dropped ten degrees.

Ambassador Craine tried to play ignorance. "My Queen, that was not my king's intentions at all. Why, we simply would like if you—"

"No."

Craine's forced politeness instantly dropped. "Your Highness," he grit out. "If you could just—"

"No."

"But—"

"No," Elsa asserted firmly. "My answer is final. I will not be showed off like a wild creature. My powers are solely for my people, whether to protect or entertain on special occasions. My powers, while special, are dangerous; it is not for other kingdoms' amusement or for others' militaries to study. I am not a freak show," she ended coldly. "If that is all—"

Craine rose slowly from him seat, glaring openly at the untroubled Queen across from him.

"I will be taking my leave now," he ground out, irritation flashing in his eyes. "Thank you for your, _unwavering _attention, Queen Elsa. Goodbye." He stormed out of the council room, almost knocking over a poor, unsuspecting servant in the process.

Elsa sighed heavily and slouched in her chair as the door slammed shut behind him. Kai reassured her with a small smile and left to go get her some more tea.

At this rate, Elsa was going to need wine. Lots of wine.

…

…

"Should I be concerned that you're taking all of this surprisingly well?"

"No, but you should be concerned that you allowed an assassin into your private quarters with no guards around to protect you."

Artemis rolled his eyes at his brother. He sat situated at his desk, fingers crossed calmly against the wooden platform. Papers were strewn across the surface, scattered and unkept. The business chair in front of him stood vacant and unused. He glared over at the opposite end of the room where Tybalt had chosen to sit on the windowsill, staring silently out into the darkness.

"I trust you," Artemis admitted.

Tybalt spared a small glance over to his eldest brother before letting out a bark of laughter. "You shouldn't," he said, emphasizing his point by twirling a small knife between his fingers expertly. Without warning he threw it full force straight towards Artemis. The knife whizzed past his head and embedded itself into the wall behind him.

Artemis didn't even blink. "As I said, I trust you. Now, back to business," he sighed tiredly. "Are you sure you're okay with the decision I've made?"

Tybalt shrugged. "This all seems rather pointless," he said dully. "Whether I'm okay with it or not, the decision's been made. I don't need you to hold my hand, Art. Hans got what was coming to him. I'm fine with your decision. It doesn't change anything. Jeffrey will still be a dick," he said, smirking when Artemis gave him a disapproving look, "Bernard will still have sex with anything he can get his hands on, the twins will still cause trouble, Cedric will still be as innocent as apple pie, and I'll still be killing people for a living…and for fun," he finished, grinning.

Artemis was quiet for a moment.

"Why do you kill, brother?"

Tybalt groaned and moved from the windowsill. "Brother—"

"I'm serious, Tybalt," Artemis said, frowning. "Why are you an assassin? I'm not asking this to tell you to stop or to scold you for ruining our reputation or something like that. I'm curious. It's not for money, it's not for vengeful retribution, and it's certainly not for fun, even if you pretend it is. So, why?"

Tybalt pondered over his question, eyebrows furrowed from inside the hooded cloak.

Finally, he shrugged.

"It's what I'm good at, what I was born to do. If not for this," he said, lifting up his sleeve to show the Night Keeper tattoo, "what else is there?"

Artemis's eyes softened. "There's so much out there for you, brother. You could be anything you want."

Tybalt shook his head. "You don't understand."

"Tybalt—"

"No." Tybalt spun around and marched over to where his brother sat. He gripped the top of the empty chair tightly. "You. Don't. Understand," he ground out. "I was born for this, made for this. I was not born to live like you and the others, stuck inside a castle. I was made out of blood and fear." He yanked his hands back and started pacing the room. "This is who I am, Art: the assassin, the outcast. It's always been like that. I was born violently and I will die violently, there is nothing else for me."

"These are newer times, Ty. You could begin again, have a fresh beginning."

Tybalt snorted. He crossed his arms and stared at a long, vertical mirror hanging on the wall to his right. His reflection stared ominously back at him. "Is that why you're king?" He asked quietly.

Silence descended upon the room. Tybalt was satisfied to know that he had shocked or angered his brother into speechlessness. Without another word, he bowed his head slightly in Artemis' direction and exited the room, disappearing into the dark hallway.

Artemis sat still as long as he could before yelling out, grabbing the knife from behind him, and throwing it at the mirror, face red and chest heaving as he watched the shattered glass cascade down to the red carpet, almost as if in slow motion.

"I am not father," he tried to reassure himself.

The empty words echoed in the loud silence.

…

…

"Our family has problems. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

Kippler and Fredrick walked behind Cedric with their hands clasped behind their heads, both walking in sync and whistling a merry tune between speaking words. Trevor walked next to Cedric, rolling his eyes whenever he heard the twins catcall at some random girl passing by. Currently, the four of them were walking around the Upper District of the Southern Isles, looking for a special gift for Cedric to give the Queen. The Courting Ceremonies were fast approaching and would start in a week. The Southern Isles' brothers would need at least three days of sailing to make it to Arendelle on time.

The markets were alive with the sound of venders calling out for customers to try their newly arrived products, children running and chasing each other, the smell of baked goods and pastries, and women bustling about to try and catch their rambunctious offspring. The markets were truly alive with the energy of others thriving within the community. Cedric struggled with not bumping into or touching anyone as he browsed the various merchandise available to him. Precious jewels, small treasuries and prizes, silk clothing, and other expensive wares briefly caught his eyes, yet he stopped for none of the venders, feeling that they were all not sufficient enough.

Although Cedric had added his part to the pile of treasure he and his brothers would be presenting to the Queen, suitors were expected to go above and beyond for their affections and usually provided their potential spouse with extravagant and exotic gifts.

In other words, a book he had added carelessly into the pile from his library would simply not do.

"Sed," one of the twins whined. "Your gift is fine. The Queen will love it, I'm sure."

"And you," Fredrick cut in. "Hopefully."

"Probably."

They both looked at each other and shrugged. "Maybe."

Trevor rolled his eyes. "A book's na' gonna impress tha' Queen, ya numbskulls. Sed shoulda given 'er a ship fulla roses, if ya' ask me."

"Yes, well, thankfully, we didn't ask you."

"So your point is invalid."

"Therefore, _you _are invalid," they both said, pointing accusingly at Trevor's back. Trevor sneered at them.

"Ma' point is valid!" He disagreed. "Right, Fangtooth?" He asked, scratching the neck of his pet eagle affectionately. Kippler reached out to lightly tap on the bird's beak and had to quickly bring his hand back before the bird could chop it off.

"Charming friend you got there, brother," he said sarcastically.

Trevor laughed. "Sorry, brotha'," he mock apologized. "But dis birdie don' like idiots," he teased, scratching his feathered friend once more. Fangtooth let out a sharp cry and took off into the sky.

Cedric looked behind at his companions – noting the annoyance clearly written on Trevor's face and the bored looks of his older twin brothers- and sighed. "I thought you guys were supposed to help finding a gift."

Fredrick raised his hands in exasperation. "We are trying to help! It's just that," he paused, thinking over his words carefully. "Well—"

"Ya' as picky as an ant choosin' shade, brotha'," Trevor finished for him, ignoring the confused looks from his brothers at his attempt at metaphor.

Cedric regarded them for a moment before turning back around. "Well, go on then," he said. "You guys, um, don't have to be here. I really don't mind going off by myself," he assured them, watching their eyes widen.

"You—"

"By yourself—"

"All alone—"

"In a crowd—"

"Have ya' lost ya' blasted mind?!" Trevor shouted. "Tha's no way in hell I'm lettin' ya' go off by ya' lonesome! Ye' can barely say ya' own name without that blasted stutterin'! Ya' need us ta' back ya' up!"

Cedric stopped walking, clenching his fists. He was always thought of as the weak, shy, stuttering mess of a brother who couldn't do or say anything without wrecking things up.

He was the awkward one.

The mute.

The screw up.

After Artemis had proclaimed that he would be sent to Arendelle, almost every brother had vocally voiced their opinions on the matter. Jeffrey had almost fallen out of his chair before listing out all the reasons Cedric should not be the potential suitor; Bernard had immediately started laughing out loud in disbelief; Trevor had choked and sputtered before stating that he should have been considered and not Cedric; Wyndell agreed with Trevor's point, but he wanted to be the suitor instead so that led to an argument between the two; Harold and Gregory disagreed with Artemis and began their own dispute that Cedric was too shy and timid for such responsibility; the twins already knew and snickered at all the chaos in the room; Brom raised an eyebrow, but did not engage in the loud discouragements; and Tybalt had propped his feet up again, grinning as if he didn't have a care in the world, and winked at Cedric.

He would show them, though. He would show them that he wasn't just a weak, stuttering fool. Most importantly, he would show and prove to the Queen that he was worthy of her affections.

That is, if she looked past him being from the Southern Isles, and Hans' brother no less.

He unclenched his fists, willing himself to gain some control and turned around to face his brothers.

"No," he said firmly, surprising them. "I will do this myself. If I am to go to Arendelle to woo the Queen, I can't rely on any of you. I have to learn how to stand up for myself on my own two feet. If you don't want to be here, then say so and leave."

He sighed, feeling some of the initial anger ebb off. "I truly appreciate you being here, as it shows your support, but I can handle the rest. Thank you for accompanying me, brothers. Go home," he said quietly.

Without waiting for their response, he walked off, becoming lost within the crowd.

…

…

"What a waste," Cedric sighed.

The market place had been a fruitless attempt. None of the products they sold caught Cedric's eye and screamed to him that the Queen would like it. Yes, there had been jewelry that shined as bright as the sun, dresses made of silk and bedazzled with expensive jewels, spices that captivated the senses, and exotic items Cedric had ever seen before ever in his life.

But none spoke out to him. They were gifts that he was sure the other suitors would already give the Queen.

So what could he give her? What would make him any different?

He sighed and threw a stone into the water below him, watching it skip along the water. Cedric loved that the Southern Isles had a beach. It allowed him to sit down in times of stress, stuff his toes into the soft-grained sand, and watch the waves as they crashed onto the surface before sliding back from whence they came. He could be alone without being stuck inside his darkly lit room. He could think all he wanted, read all he wanted, and daydream all he wanted without being disturbed. He could…

"Why, hello there, little brother."

"GAH!" Cedric cried out, startled. He looked up to see Tybalt grinning down at him, the hooded cloak still covering the top half of his face.

Tybalt smirked. "Sorry, my young brother. Didn't mean to scare you. Badly," he added, chuckling a little.

Cedric settled down into the sand. "Did you need something?" He asked.

Tybalt cocked his head to the side. "No. The twins sent me, told me that you'd probably be down here," he admitted.

Besides the twins and formerly Hans, Tybalt was the brother Cedric was closest to despite their age difference. They both were considered the outcasts in the family and as such could relate to one another. Although Cedric disapproved of his brother's assassin ways, he respected and admired his brother's skill and moral code to not kill innocents. Cedric saw him less as a cold blooded killer and more of justified vigilante.

Tybalt sat down next to Cedric, looking very out of place on the beach in his dark attire. Then again, Cedric didn't fit the beach picture either as he was wearing royal clothes.

Cedric looked at his hands in his lap. "I shouldn't have been short with them," he confessed. "They've probably been the most supportive out of all my brothers. Trevor only came along because Artemis forced him to."

Tybalt shrugged. "Well, the twins can be rather infuriating at times. But no, perhaps you shouldn't have been short with them. Despite all their jokes, they mean no offense."

"And Trevor—"

"No one gives a damn about Trevor," Tybalt snorted. "Be as short with him as you want, for all I care. Sometimes, that guy really deserves it."

Cedric looked unconvinced. "I don't know," he said slowly. "I mean, I kind of feel bad for him."

"Sed, you feel bad for everyone."

"W-What? I do no—okay, fine I do. But I mean, I kind of understand why he hates these family reunions. It's never been his type of thing, you know. He loves being out in the ocean, chasing after adventure—"

"And hating Bernard."

"That's the part I feel bad about," Cedric said sadly. "Bernard keeps pushing his buttons and irritating the hell out of him. And well, yes, it's a bit of brotherly rivalry, but it's also…I mean, Trevor has a reason to be upset because…well…"

"Because Bernard stole away the one girl Trevor actually cared about and screwed her brains out in front of him?" Tybalt finished, grinning when he saw Cedric blush.

"Um, well, yes in more vulgar terms—"

Tybalt laughed. "Oh trust me, little brother, I could have said it in a much more vulgar manner," he said, eyes glinting mischievously. "But enough of that now. Did you find a gift for the fair maiden?"

Cedric shuffled. "Um—"

"I thought not," Tybalt drawled lazily.

He shifted and pulled something out from under his cloak. Cedric's eyes widened as he watched his older brother pull out a gleaming, silver necklace with a dark red stone dangling from it. Inscribed in the stone was a rune.

Cedric said breathlessly, "Is that a—"

"Yup," Tybalt interrupted proudly. "This dear brother, is a rare magic stone. I found it during one of my…little assignments," he said, clearing his throat at Cedric's disappointed look. "Hey, I don't steal off of dead men. I seriously did just find it by chance (Even if I did sort of kill the man first before stumbling upon the necklace in his bedroom, he thought)." He handed the necklace over to Cedric, who took it with careful hands.

"It's a dragon stone," Cedric said quietly. The stone was warm in the palm of his hand, the life within it pulsating. "No one has seen these things for centuries since dragons had disappeared off the face of the world." He looked up at his brother, shock still in his eyes. "And you're giving this to me?"

Tybalt shook his head. "Correction: I'm giving this to you for you to give to the Queen," he replied, giving his brother a cheeky smile.

Cedric beamed. "Thank you. I-I don't even know how I'd repay you," he said shyly.

Tybalt's smile fell slightly, his expression turning slightly solemn. He turned away from his brother to look at the ocean.

"You already have," he whispered. Cedric's eyebrows drew together in confusion.

"What?" Cedric asked, bewildered.

"I know," Tybalt stated simply.

"About what? That's really vague Ty—"

"I know what happened with father."

Cedric stilled completely, his eyes widening in panic.

"W-What? H-H-How did—"

"It's okay, little brother," Tybalt reassured. He put a hand on Cedric's head. "I won't say a word. It's our little secret. Just promise me this: promise that you will try your hardest in these Ceremonies. Promise that you will find happiness. Can you do that?" He finished, his good eye staring wistfully out at the never ending sea.

Cedric nodded, his whole body shaking. "I-I will," he promised. He paused. "But how did you, how did you find out?"

Tybalt stood up and after stretching turned to go back up to the castle.

With his back turned, he said, "I was there." He made eye contact with Cedric over his shoulder.

Cedric stiffened.

"I was there when you killed father." With that declaration, he left.

The waves continued to crash down onto the lonely beach. Cedric sat there alone, ashamed with himself.

He was the awkward one.

The mute.

The screw up.

He clenched at the small dragon stone necklace in his hand, warmth spreading throughout his body from contact with it.

The king slayer.

…

…

Aaaaand that's all folks!


End file.
